May 24

Cycle 4, Day 4 -- So far 3 doses, but the side effects have been better today.  Less nausea and chills.  Also less neosynephrine needed to keep Kerry's blood pressure up. So even though he says he feels crappy, from the observer's perspective he looks better than last cycle. He'll have one more dose either tonight or tomorrow morning.

For those of you reading this and worrying because it seems a bit more sober  -- please don't read anything into it.  I'm just a bit distracted with getting Seth out of high school (yes, he's keeping us guessing up until the end about whether he can really finish the required work that he neatly neglected) and on the road to college (doesn't seem fare to have to start registration before you are done with high school).  Then there's the cold I have; the Senior Fete this morning where Seth danced with 20 other guys in a mock version of Swan Lake; tonight's music performance (Seth was in the drum line performing a piece called Garbage); and he leaves tomorrow for a 3 day music festival 5 hours away with kids we don't know (he is almost 18 so I guess we don't get to approve his play dates anymore).  So the Blog has been taking it in the shorts.  I apologize to those of you who rely on it for regular updates.  I'll do my best to keep it updated, though it may be "just the facts, mam" for now.

Keep those good vibes coming,

Maggie

May 22

Cycle 4 is going slowly.  Kerry has had 2 out of 5 possible doses of Interlueken 2 because his blood pressure has dropped quickly after each dose and taken awhile to get back to normal.  The doctor says this is normal and to be expected.

It is a bit strange being back for the 4th week.  We know most of the nurses -- which ones are great and which ones are not so great.  Kerry knows the hospital menu well enough to know that the changes they made since last time were not for the best.  And most amusing was the 20 minute video they made him watch telling him all about the hospital unit he is in.  He should have least had a walk on role in it since he's been here so much.

More later.

May 17

I've been taking a bit of a vacation from the blog.  I apologize to those of you who may have been waiting from updates. The problem is that there just isn't much to report.  Kerry is feeling better and is able to do the occasional chore or go for a short walk.  He's still feeling pretty tired though and is taking some nice long naps.  The only unusual thing is that he has started lifting weights -- or should I say cans (of beans).  Spending so much time in bed during the treatments has left his muscles a bit toneless. So he's fighting back and doing a little exercise to try to get back some muscle. He's starting slow with some small cans of beans -- and will probably build up to, who knows, jars of spaghetti sauce. Now this may sound a bit lame -- but to those of you who know him, this type of self directed exercise is highly unusual.  Frankly, I'm not sure what to think about it.

The next treatment starts next Monday.  More then.

May 4

Just a quick update.  Kerry is now finished with Round 3 of the Interleuken 2 treatment.  He finished  a total of 8 doses out of a possible 14 for the week.  He had a couple of days of shake and bake (bad chills and slight fever) followed by pretty low blood pressure. But Demerol, Neosynephrine, Neurontin and a few more medications too numerous to mention got him through the week.  It seems that his reaction to the IL2 is getting more severe -- which they say is to be expected.   So he was not disappointed when they told him this morning that he was done for the week. Hopefully he will come home tomorrow if they can wean him off all of the meds.

Even though he had a room with a tremendous view, we will all be glad for the week to be over and for him to be home where we only have a view of our small back yard. The sadly ironic thing about this great room was that they put the patient bed in a part of the room that didn't have much of a view.   And because he was hooked up to so many things, the bed was not mobile.  Every day I just shook my head and wondered what the hospital designers were thinking.  But I guess that's a minor complaint as long as they can get him through the treatment in one piece.

May 2

Another day, another couple of doses.  Kerry has now had 6 out of 7 possible doses. Missed one due to low blood pressure.  Had pretty bad shakes after the last dose, but is feeling better now. I think they had about 7 heated blankets piled on top of him  -- even had one wrapped around his head.  King Tut, eat your heart out.  Kerry says that in general things are going well since he hasn't "throwed up" yet.

I am coming to realize that bad hearing actually makes this place a lot more interesting.  This afternoon someone knocked on the door and quickly left.  I asked the nurse, who was in our room at the time,who had knocked and I swear  he said " oh that was just the prostitute".  (Actually he had said "that was just a student". )  It was sounding like a much more full service hospital until we got that straightened out.

And a few minutes ago the nurse came in to hang a new bottle of "vino" which unfortunately turned out to be a new bottle of "neo"(neosynephrine -- used to keep Kerry's blood pressure up).

I guess after a few days in this place you just create your own reality...

Kerry says thanks to all of you who have sent words of encouragement. It really means a lot.

Maggie

May 1

Kerry has had 4 of the total possible 14 doses of Interleuken 2.  He hasn't missed any doses so far.  His blood pressure is doing well with the help of a small amount of neosynephrine.  The nurses were stunned over how well he is doing.  Kerry told them that if it made them feel better he still feels pretty crappy -- tired and prickly.  He's snoring now but luckily there aren't too many other patients on the floor right now so he's not keeping any of them awake.  (For those of you who don't know about his snoring, its world class.  The only person I've ever heard snore more loudly is one of his brothers ,who shall remain nameless...).

On a completely unrelated note, for those of you who are interested, Seth made an 11th hour decision about where he will go to college next year.  He will be attending Willamette University, a small university in Salem, Oregon.  It sounds like a good fit for him and a school that can help him realize his goal of doing premed. (They also made a good financial aid offer.) My only complaint is that the mascot is the Bearcat -- which sounds like a very unlikely and uncomfortable genetic mix.

Kerry's advise of the day: "Use your sunblock and get new spots checked". (I think he means spots on your skin -- as opposed to on your shirt or on the floor.)